2 THE ELDERLY AND VOLUNTEERING SENIOR VOLUNTEERS The in Europe elderly The number of in the European Union made up about 20% of the total population in 2020 and is expected to rise and reach 28.5% by 2050. In Italy, according to a 2020 report by the World Bank, this figure was 23%. In the U.K there are about 12 million people aged 65 and over, but the number is expected by more than 40% in 20 years. people aged 65 and over 1 to rise Reasons for volunteering The elderly often decide to volunteer when something happens in their lives, e.g. an illness; and . Women are generally attracted to caring roles, while men tend to look for roles in community transport or sports clubs. 39% of seniors choose volunteering because members of their family volunteer. is the most powerful form of advertising. However, there are other aspects to volunteering that also influence participation, such as flexibility. Older people do not just sit around waiting to be useful. They might spend a lot of time looking after grandchildren, or those with more money to spend might travel or developing their hobbies. men and women make different choices Word of mouth look to WARM UP • In your opinion, are there more male or female senior volunteers? MORE According to a 2018 study of the SIGG (Società Italiana di Gerontologia e Geriatria), the new age of the elderly has increased to 75 in developed countries, such as ltaly. 1 Benefits of volunteering 15% of older volunteers are on continuing to learn and so choose roles where they can learn new skills or where they can make the most of their professional experience. In general, people over 70 don’t mind what their role is, they just want to and need positive feedback from it. keen do something useful Volunteering 1 Older people greatly contribute to the that takes place all over Europe. However, with older people so their time between several different organisations and other , this could mean having to work harder to offer appropriate volunteering experiences. Moreover, the elderly are not a homogeneous category. volunteering willing to split commitments charities DO The word "volunteering" was fi rst used in the late 16th century with reference to the military world. What is the main use of the word today? 1